The Best 4 Video Cameras for Your Church

The Church Video Series – Lesson 39

New cameras with new features are released every month. And if you’re looking to buy a camera it can be intimidating.

It’s a big investment, and what if you buy the wrong one? How do you know your church is making the right decision?

Well I am here to dispel any fears or hesitations you may have.

I present to you the best 4 video cameras for your church!

How it’s going to work

Here’s how this list of comparisons will work: Cameras will be compared based on strengths, weaknesses, and price.

I’ll also add a couple of my own personal notes along the way.

NOTE: These camera recommendations are made with the following applications in mind: video announcements, baptism videos, testimonies, sermon trailers, skits, church ads, welcome videos etc. If you are hoping to record your services or live stream your services, these likely won’t be the best suggestions for you.

Prepare yourself!

1. Canon T4i/T5i

Let’s begin this list with the most affordable camera, the Canon T4i/T5i.

The reason I suggest two different models is because Canon didn’t care to upgrade any of the video features in the new T5i.

That’s right! The T5i costs $300 more than its predecessor and doesn’t offer any new worthwhile video functions.

2. Panasonic GH4

The Panasonic GH4 is the absolute BEST all-around camera currently available for churches.

It can shoot beautiful slow-motion, 4K resolution, and photos as well!

Strengths:

1080p/96p: These numbers mean that the GH4 can shoot at 60 frames per second in full 1080p high definition. This means you can have full-resolution slow motion! Most consumer cameras still can’t do this, and this is one of most enticing features of the GH3.

Resolution and detail: The amount of detail in GH4 4K videos is about 4 times as great as the T4i/T5i.

Overall quality: The GH4 is simply a more robust, capable video camera than the T4i/T5i. But, of course, it is also more expensive.

Weaknesses:

Price: The price of the GH4 isn’t outrageous by any means. But at $1499 this price tag could be a bit steep for churches diving into video for the first time.

Colours: Canon is notorious for producing great colours in their images. Panasonic’s colours, on the other hand, leave something to be desired. They just don’t pop in the same way.

3. Canon 5D Mark III

Until recently, this list of cameras included only three. That was until Magic Lantern released a game-changing firmware hack for the Canon 5D Mark III.

The Mark III is now capable of shooting 14-bit RAW footage in 1080p high-definition. I didn’t believe it myself until a good friend of mine took out his camera and did it.

This is crazy!

If you don’t know what RAW footage is, here is what it means. Almost all video cameras employ some sort of compression on their files. This way the files are manageable for the camera’s storage system. But this hurts the quality of the videos.

RAW video means that the video files are completely uncompressed. So you have infinitely more flexibility in post-production to manipulate the image without harming it or reducing the overall quality.

The Canon 5D Mark III wasn’t meant to do this – but now it can.

Strengths:

RAW video: Obviously.

Full-frame: The Mark III sensor is full frame which means there is no crop factor (if you don’t know what crop factor is click here).

Still Photos: The Mark III also shoots tremendous photographs, making it a legitimate dual-threat camera.

Weaknesses:

Price: The Mark III comes in as the priciest camera on this list – by far. The $3499 price tag is a huge investment for many churches.

Hack Necessary: Keep in mind that the Mark III cannot shoot RAW video out of the box. It requires a firmware hack. It’s not entirely difficult, but it’s not entirely simple either.

4. Blackmagic Cameras

These are the only cameras on this list that are actually pure video cameras. All the others are primarily built for photography.

There are two different Blackmagic Design cameras that you should consider, the Cinema Camera and the Pocket Cinema Camera.

Strengths:

RAW video: Just like the Mark III, these cameras shoot RAW video footage that is uncompressed and gorgeous.

Colours: The Blackmagic camera’s colours are unmatched, even by Canon.

Size: The Pocket looks like an ordinary point-and-shoot camera. This means that you can take it places you can’t take other cameras. It’s also less intimidating for the people you’re filming.

Price: The Pocket Cinema Camera costs $995 and the Cinema Camera costs $1995 . They boast the same features of cameras that cost 10x more. The price is just ridiculous.

Weaknesses:

Pro: When you look at the price of these cameras, it seems they are meant for consumers. But that is a clever disguise. These are professional cameras. And they require additional accessories to make them functional.

Battery Life: The battery life on both of these cameras is lacking. Both offer between 30-90 minutes of battery life. That’s just not good enough and means you’ll have to purchase additional batteries or another power solution.

File Size: When you’re recording in RAW, the file sizes are gigantic. If you want to work with RAW video, you’ll need a powerful computer and plenty of free space.

Conclusion

The needs of your church are different from mine. So instead of making a definitive statement about the one camera you should buy, I present four options.

Each camera has strengths and weaknesses that your church should carefully consider before purchasing.

But instead of having to choose from hundreds of different cameras, I’ve narrowed it down to four.

If you’re interested in what I use, I own a Panasonic GH4 (I use this most),Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and a Canon T3i. I use the T3i for video announcements and interviews, and I use the GH4 & BMPCC for most everything else.

Someone at Church was telling me about the Blackmagic and from what I saw it does appear to be one that if you want crisp video you should get.

bradyshearer

You’re right Lincoln. It’s a total game changer. I can’t wait to get my hands on it!

Jim Hutton

The price of cameras coming down is great. It makes it affordable for any church budget to have a good camera.

bradyshearer

Exactly Jim! It’s so exciting!

David L Good

I’m not sure this is a great list at all. You’ve listed three DSLRs — which is NOT a good choice for long-form shooting. Period. The only real “video” camera you’ve actually listed is one you haven’t even had your hands on — so it’s really unfair to even include it on a recommendations list. Poor form, sir. One HUGE downside is the fact that the lens mount can require very costly glass… or you have to deal with converters, etc. Don’t get me wrong — I’ve actually used one (beta/show floor), and they are incredible cameras — but I would never recommend one for a church (unless the church was only interested in producing “movies”… in other words, not recording services).

I’ve been in the professional television/video industry for well over 20 years (lost track already) and I’ve set up a lot of rigs for a lot of congregations. Recording services (and also live streaming of services) seems to be more of a concern than creating ‘short film’ segments. Your suggestions are perfectly valid for short film segments. This is just simply not a big concern for most churches.

bradyshearer

Hey David! Great comments here. Lots of good stuff.

I got an email a couple weeks back from a Pro Church Tools reader and he asked me what was the best camera for his church. He was concerned with a DSLRs ability to record services.

I told him straight up – don’t record your services. Because he, like the majority of our little community here, serves at a small church. And like you mentioned, he would need a ‘rig’ to do what he was imagining. You can’t just point a camcorder at a church stage and expect to yield good results. To record a service in high quality you would indeed need a rig.

And that’s just not feasible for us. I serve at a church plant of less than 100. Broadcasting our services isn’t exactly a priority. But we love storytelling with film.

Perhaps I should have mentioned that these cameras are NOT good suggestions for live streaming or recording services. But like you said, the suggestions are perfectly valid for what we’re aiming to do

Thanks for the comment David!

David L Good

“Storytelling With Film — A Church Guide To Camera Selection” might have been a better title for this blog entry. I like the sound of it (and it would have eliminated any confusion I had when I first found this page).

I agree with what you told them. Too often a congregation has the desire to “do more”… and in their zeal (and ignorance of the difficulties associated with film/video) they are often blinded as to what they’re really getting themselves into. Most people are used to services like YouTube and Vimeo, or even with what they see on television… and it’s easy to take for granted how much time and effort goes into producing even the shortest of clips, in a moderately professional manner. It’s always best to walk before you run.

For smaller congregations wanting to record full services, I usually suggest that they start with audio… then move to consumer-grade video (maybe to burn DVDs as an archive/library) and then move towards archiving/distribution on a simple web page… and if they have the manpower, skill, time, and desire… they can move into higher quality recording and even live streaming.

It’s all about taking it one step at a time, taking your time (and doing it right) and analyzing every step to make sure you’re still good with the ultimate goal — because it’s frustrating for a congregation to get used to video recordings or live streaming of services, only to have it taken away when the “sole” tech guy moves to a different city or becomes burnt out on the effort required to maintain it all each and every week.

Thanks for the clarification on your post. Much appreciated.

bradyshearer

Sounds like you and I are on the same page David.

I told that same reader that they should focus on audio as well.

Thanks for the discussion!

Revelator

Hi David, Thanks for the post. I’m part of a small church (25-35). We are doing audio but we want to start video recording to YouTube. I wanted to get your recommendation for a camcorder in the thousand dollar range that allows for such an endeavor. Thank You

David L Good

If you have to stay under the $1,000 mark, I would suggest going with a SONY HDR-PJ540/B. It will run you about $700. It has a 30X Optical Zoom, it can write directly to SD cards, and — VERY IMPORTANT — it has an audio-input jack. A lot of camcorders do not have audio input jacks, which makes the useless (in my opinion) for recording sermons or other sessions. For another $180 you can purchase a BeachTek DXA-2T… which is a small box that can mount under your camera — giving you the ability to add PRO AUDIO inputs to your camera. Basically, you run XLR outputs from your audio board into the BeachTek… and you can adjust gain and other settings on the BeachTek… and the audio is then sent to your camcorder through a 1/8″ audio cable. Excellent audio each and every time. If you have a little more money to spend, I would STRONGLY recommend going with a Canon XVIA HF G30. This camera has EXCELLENT optics and will give you a much cleaner image in situations where you have low light, or lighting that isn’t the greatest. It has a 20X optical lens. If you add the BeachTek unit, mentioned above, to the Canon VIXIA G30 you can get pro audio inputs and you will essentially have something identical to the more expensive Canon XA20 — the EXACT same optics, sensor, signal processing, etc. The only real difference between the XA20 and the HF G30 is that the XA20 has a handlebar that has the XLR audio connectors built-in. But if you add the BeachTek to the G30 you can get the very same results and save a nice chunk of change in the process. Both the SONY and the Canon cameras have HDMI output. Again — the Canon has better optics and will perform better in sub-standard lighting conditions… but the SONY has more optical zoom and, if you have decent lighting, provides a great image.

Revelator

Thank You

Paul

Please can you explain why the blackmagic is a bad idea for recording a service? We record audio through our sound system already – looking to add high quality video and thought this looked good to me? Thanks

bradyshearer

The Blackmagic has the best quality image for the lowest price. That’s its biggest strength. It’s not that it’s a bad idea to use for services, it just has limitations that you need to be aware of.

Firstly, if you’re going to live stream, the image coming out of the camera is ungraded and very flat – and it’s not pretty because it needs to be graded.

Secondly, because the files are such high-quality they’re HUGE files and if you’re recording 30-60 minute services each week, the storage you’re going to need is going be pricey as well.

In the end, they’re just not meant for broadcast or recording services, they’re meant for cinematic filmmaking. So it’s not that they won’t work, but you’ll need some work arounds.

Paul

Thanks, that’s really useful. Do you have a top 2-3 recommendations for recording services in high quality (we don’t need live streaming at the moment but it may be something we look to for the future). Our budget would be around £1500 ($2100).

If it’s something your church is set on though, there are a couple of options for you.

1. Canon XA10: This camera is petite but it comes with a lot of great features at a decent price. It doesn’t have SDI/HDSI out though so if you wanted to live stream in the future you would need a converter.

2. Any of the DSLRs on this list will work well too. They won’t have some of same features as a camcorder will, but you will have a camera that can both record your services and shoot cinematic videos during the week.

Recording services and live broadcasting aren’t my areas of expertise though so take it with a grain of salt.

John

Came across this site while doing some beginning research on video cameras. We are a Christian Camp and are wanting to start videoing our speakers sessions at events as opposed to only offering audio of the sessions. The distance from the front of the platform to the camera location would be about 40-45 ft. Trying to find the best camera possible to video from this distance and still have a great HD pic. Also, wanting to mount it on a remote control base so our A/V person can move the camera L-R when and if neccessary. Thougts?

If it’s something you’re set on though, there are a couple of options for you.

1. Canon XA10: This camera is petite but it comes with a lot of great features at a decent price. It doesn’t have SDI/HDSI out though so if you wanted to live stream in the future you would need a converter.

2. Any of the DSLRs on this list will work well too. They won’t have some of same features as a camcorder will, but you will have a camera that can both record your services and shoot cinematic videos as well.

Recording services aren’t my areas of expertise though so take it with a grain of salt.

Just don’t try to do it with 1 camera. Because you’ll need at least 2.

mattbedell

i believe the information on the T3i vs the T5i needs updating. Canon did upgrade the focusing of the T5i so that it auto focuses while recording. The T3i must be focused before pressing record and once recording the focus cannot be changed. This feature alone is worth the extra money for the T5i. I’ve operated them both and much happier with the T5i for video. Both cameras take great still images. Thanks

bradyshearer

Hey Matt! Thanks for the comment. The autofocus feature is pretty cool. But here’s a the beef that I have with it, and why I don’t think it’s worth the upgrade.

1. You need an STM lens for the autofocus to work properly. Otherwise it’s gonna be noisy.
2. I don’t think I’ve ever autofocused while shooting video in my life. I’m all about the manual focus because it gets me more involved in my shooting and looks more natural. The T3i focus absolutely can be changed while recording, you just need to be in manual mode.

The autofocus feature is cool. But I got my T3i for $429, and Amazon says the T5i right now is about $850. That’s twice as much for an autofocus feature I wouldn’t really use.

And that’s why I recommend the T3i, but you said that you like the video better on the T5i, so all power to you!

kingMEdia

Any thoughts on the Canon Prosumer Video camera? a friend is selling his xl-1 for 225 with tripod.

bradyshearer

You know I’ve never been a fan of camcorders. I like DSLR cameras because they can achieve a filmic look and that’s something that’s very important to me.

But with that being said the XL-1 is a pretty big deal. I probably still go for it.

Jeff M

Actually the t4i can record to 30 minutes. it stops at that time but you can restart it again. there is a 4gig file size limit but the camera continues to record seamlessly onto a new file.

bradyshearer

Thanks for the update Jeff! I’ve made that change in the post.

Craig B

Do you use the Black Magic to film full services, or at least the live Sermon? If so, or even if you dont (but you know) are these good for that purpose? How long can the shutter stay open? Can you record it onto the internal card as well as live stream it at the same time?
Thanks!

I’m not sure exactly what you mean by how long can the shutter stay open. Are you asking how long can the camera film consecutively? Or are you asking what the max shutter angle is?

Ivan

Thanks Brady, awesome work your doing here!
I feel sometimes media can be underrated in Churches and i believe what Hillsong did for music we can all do for media in the ministry.
Any ways, to the point!
About filming services with the Blackmagic, i think it is a great option if your a larger or fast growing Church. The camera is great and has a ridiculously low price, but it needs accessories to go with it that actually stack up the price a fair bit. But this also means you get a lot of flexibility when it comes to upgrade time, saving you money in the end. A production setup will cost you about 6 to 7 thousand Dollars, but that will mean CAMERA+Rigs n all, RECORDER+SD’s and Some extras. Load it up instantly and start burning before offering is finished. Ideally with a bit of Pre-prep members could be walking out with DVD’s or even BluRays before they even finish their coffee. This is considering you already have burners and some OK editing hardware. And you could Live stream easily with a Blackmagic DeckLink card and thats about 150 bucks!
I recon its worth the investment.
GOD only deserves excellence and nothing less because he gives us his everything!

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

Thanks for the comment Ivan! You make a good point about the accessories necessary for the Blackmagic cameras.

When I bought mine it was only $2000, but then it required almost a full additional $2000 to ensure it was fully functional. Thanks for your insight here. Very helpful to us all!

Yves Djuma

Good day Brady. I am currently using a SONY HDR-CX220 video camera to record at my church. It’s not bad when it comes to recording HD but when I zoom the resolution becomes terrible. So literally I don’t zoom much since the quality isn’t to good. The Church would like to purchase a new video camera, we dont have a big budget too. Which one would you recommend which would record HD Quality recordings. We only use the camera to record the sermons.

Thanks so much! Last question…would it work ok for live streaming? Decent maybe?

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

A T3i wouldn’t be a good camera for live streaming, no. A T3i is more of a cinematic camera. You’re likely going to need two different types of cameras to do both live streaming and the type of videos mentioned in this post.

Heather

What about sound? What do you reccomend in that regard?

iriel

Hey brady,

Im looking for a DSLR camera to record the sermons at my church.
My church budget is 120 pounds (im from London) my church is a small church and I want to get a decent camera that can record good sound quality to put on dvd.

Is there any Cheap dslr cameras you can suggest.
Also is there a usb microphone you can fit into a DSLR camera as its hard to find a decent price dslr camera with a mic input.

Follow the link I posted above, Nate. There is a lengthy podcast explaining my reasoning.

Also, if you simply must record your church services, I recommend the Canon G20.

Colton K

Hi Brady, our church is venturing into video announcements. We are about ready to purchase a camera/mic/etc…I noticed that this video was from last year…Would you still recommend these four cameras? We are considering the Canon T3i but we did not want to purchase if this video is now considered “old”. Thanks so much for your help!

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

Colton,

I still use a Canon T3i for recording our video announcements every week. And we work with dozens of churches across the world over at http://provideoannouncements.com.

So, yes, I would still recommend the Canon Rebel series. But you might not want a T3i, maybe you want to get the newer versions like the T5i.

Colton K

Thanks! I looked at the link you posted about the non-branded shotgun mic that you currently use…I have been looking at others on Sweetwater.com but am not a mic expert…do you have any problems capturing a great sound with the mic you use? Are you still currently using the one you suggested? Thanks again for this great resource!
Colton

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

I still am using that mic, Colton! Maybe my ears just aren’t good enough, but I still can’t tell the different between that and a $1000 mic.

Colton K

Brady,
Would you recommend a Go-Pro camera for Video Announcements. I know that some of those models record in 1080p but wanted a second opinion. What do you think about Go-Pro for Church Video Announcements?
Thanks
Colton Kellam

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

You know, I’ve never personally used a GoPro myself. So I can’t really speak to this with too much accuracy, but I personally wouldn’t go for a GoPro myself.

Zachary McKenzie

Thank you for your video’s. I had been looking at getting a t3i or t4i when I came across the EOS M. From what I can tell it is comparable. Horrible for stills but great for video. I can pick up a new EOS m with either the 22mm kit lens or an 18-55mm kit lens for about $300 compared to $550 for a t3i kit and $700 for t4i. What are your thoughts?

I thought this camera was discontinued a while ago. But it still seems as though it’s on the market for purchase. That’s kind of odd, and for me that would be a red flag.

Zachary McKenzie

Thank you for your very prompt reply. You really do practice what you teach. What is the red flag? Grey market? The $300 kit is from Amazon market place and is most likely grey market, but BH photo and video has the USA kit for $350.

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

Many reasons, Zachary. Grey market is one of them. Also, community support, ongoing firmware updates, etc. The BH sale is obviously fine, and the Amazon Marketplace one likely is also. And just because I wouldn’t personally go with this camera, doesn’t mean it’s wrong for you. You might just be on to something here!

Zachary McKenzie

Brady,

I just wanted to say I did pick up a new EOS M with the 22mm kit lens for $250.00 this past week. Even though I shot very little video with it so far, I am happy with the purchase, especially because I can use old Canon FD lenses that are in the closets of my extended family with a $12.00 eos m to fd mount. This of course brought down my initial investment substantially. This camera paired with FD lenses, a zoom h1, azden lav mic, and the free lightworks software will be put to use in my church, school, and even work. Thank you for your great videos that gave me the nudge to stop just dreaming of doing video and instead start shooting video.

Does the GH3 have the same consecutive recording issue the Canon does? Is there a limit to how long you can record with it?

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

Chris, as far as I’ve researched, the GH4 has no time limit.

Chris

Thanks for the quick response and for this post! Love your site and am enjoying learning lots from it!

Chris

You replied for the GH4, but what about the GH3? Do you know?

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

I’m pretty sure the GH3 has a 30 minute limit.

Chris

Bummer…so I guess I need to spend the extra 1k for the 4k haha.
Thanks Brady!

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

And for the slow mo! The GH3 is very inferior to the GH4 in my opinion. Worth the upgrade!

Chris

I guess my next comment was wrong then, the GH4 does have slow mo?

Chris

Brady,
I currently have a T3i and a Canon 60D. I wanted to be able to get full consecutive recording, but is it worth it for me to switch to a different camera brand just for that?

Chris

Just gotta figure out how to get that money together plus all new lenses haha thanks again!

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

Yeah, it has 96fps in full 1080p goodness. I think the GH4 upgrade is worth it for you. No doubt in my mind.

Rusty Turnbuckle

Only in PAL countries. The North American version is unlimited in terms of shooting time (limited by the size of your SDHC card and battery power, but the stock batteries have a shockingly long run time, and you can get an AC adapter for cheap). The GH3 is an excellent deal, bang-for-buck, with better video specs than most competitors under $3000, and not as wonky as the Blackmagic Cinema Camera, though the dynamic range and general image quality of the BM cameras is outstanding. We bought a GH3 for our university use in January 2014 for about $900.

Does the T3i have a headphone jack? Audio meters? I don’t think so. The GH3 has both….

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

Thanks for the clarification. I love the GH4 and it’s my top recommendation for churches. But if you’re just starting out with video, it’s hard to beat a Canon T3/4/5i.

Colton K

Hi, Brady. Would you recommend the Canon t3 for video announcements. What is the primary difference between the Canon t3 and the Canon t3i? We are on the verge of buying one and as we were looking we found the t3i to be relatively more than the t3.

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

Definitely go with the T3i, Colton! The T3 can’t shoot in 1080p or 24fps. Two big deal breakers for me.

Hi Brady, I am from a small church on a small island, American Samoa. We are trying to upgrade our camera and we are trying to record our services or at least praise nd worship and the Word of course. What can we look into getting?

Hey Brady,
Love all the Resources that you put out.
The above camera’s are all out of my price range. Could you recommend a Camera that can be connected to a Laptop and be used for Live streaming. And also simultaneously record in Best Quality?

http://prochurchtools.com/ Brady Shearer

Samuel, sadly I don’t know of any cameras that are able to do all of those things in your price range. You may have to adjust your expectations or your budget to get a camera that will suit your needs.

jastin

praise the lord. i’m jastin from Tamil nadu india. i had two handycam with hdmi out. i want to record chruch video to pc from about 60 feets away from pc. please guide me to setup. what are the device need to do this.my mail ID jastinit@gmail.com. sony HDR PJ270e. Benq